One of the highlights during the high school softball season is the annual benefit doubleheader that is played under the lights at the Bristol Boro field. This Tuesday night will be no different with Truman playing Bristol at 5:30, followed by Pennsbury-Neshaminy later in the evening.

Coming off its impressive 5-1 win over former No. 1 Robbinsville last Saturday night, Pennsbury can clinch at least a share of a Suburban One National League championship with a win. That’s pretty amazing when you consider a red-hot Pennsbury team (12-7) that is starting a host of host of freshmen and sophomores was 4-7 at one point in the season.

Neshaminy, meanwhile, needs help because it has only the Pennsbury game left and is currently one game behind the Falcons and William Tennent in the standings. Tennent can clinch a share of the crown by beating Truman on Monday.

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Although it might be out of the title race by then, it’s still a huge game for Neshaminy in terms of making sure it gets a playoff berth. Furthermore, if Neshaminy can’t win the league, there’s nothing they’d enjoy more than making sure arch-rival Pennsbury doesn’t win it either.

Tuesday’s festivities are also for a good cause as each team is raising money to fight cancer. Bristol, for instance, is raising money in the memory of a former student and player who died of cancer. Truman’s fund raiser is “Hope for Hannah,” a little girl who is suffering from the disease.

What the teams would really like it for the community to chip in by having people or businesses sponsor an inning for $100. To sponsor an inning contact the schools or call Bristol coach Mike Lalli at 267-231-8352.

MCT TIME

In addition to Pennsbury’s win over Robbinsville, the big score from this past week was Notre Dame’s 10-inning victory over Robbinsville for bragging rights in the Colonial Valley Conference. With the win, Notre Dame has taken over the top spot in our ratings, followed by Pennsbury and Robbinsville.

Robbinsville has a chance to get even in the Mercer County Tournament, which gets underway with out-bracket games today before moving to Ewing’s Armstrong Park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Although Notre Dame and Robbinsville have been by far the dominant teams in the CVC — both beat Allentown and Ewing by comfortable margins — don’t assume it’s a lock they will meet in the finals.

If there’s one constant in the MCT, it is there’s usually at least one huge upset — sometimes more.

MORE ON TRENTON

As reflected in Rich Fisher’s article in The Trentonian earlier in the week, Trenton has been gaining a lot of respect for the way it conducts itself on the field. Here’s a letter we received that offers more evidence of what’s going on with Ryan McCamy’s program:

My name is Alexa Spak and I start in center field for Notre Dame High School and am a junior. On Monday April 28th, my team played Trenton High School at my home field and one player (Tyquasia Peterson) really hit my heart deep with amazing sportsmanship. I did not start that game and when I went in for my first at bat of the game I got hit by the first pitch. As I got to first base, I was given the steal sign and took off. The shortstop is the player here that I would like to recognize. As she came across the bag she stepped on my shin and I ended up straining my hamstring and was out for the rest of the week. At the end of the game as I went to gather my gear way after everyone else was packed up and walking back to cars and the school, the shortstop ran over to me with a sad look and opened her arms for the biggest hug and said “I am sorry.” I just looked at her and said its OK and that it’s part of the game and injuries happen. After she gave me a hug, I was almost brought to tears. It is amazing Mr. Fisher just published that amazing article about Trenton and that is why I am moved to send you this to recognize this outstanding athlete. Every time I play Trenton, it makes me understand the real values of playing the game: have fun no matter how the game is going on, give it your all, respecting the other team, and playing your best and leaving it all on the field when the last out is made. Trenton’s positive attitudes should be a lesson for EVERY team to follow not only for softball but for life also.

­— Alexa Spak

PARENT OF WEEK

In stark contrast to what appears above, we offer you a dad who was recently heard repeatedly complaining about the lack of pitching time his daughter had been receiving.

“This is ridiculous,” the dad said. “My daughter is a Division I pitcher. Our coach is costing her a scholarship.”

As luck would have it, the guy’s daughter was brought into the game to pitch the last two innings. What’s more, there was a guy standing behind the backstop with a radar gun.

Hey, dad, when your daughter can’t throw over 54 mph and her easy-to-detect change-up is about as hard to hit as a beach ball, don’t expect a college coach to knock on your door in the near future.